Never gonna happen
by ilovetf
Summary: This is a drabble that could be followed by more chapters. Spoilers - anything that happened in Season 3. Comments are welcome, good or bad!
1. Chapter 1

Never Gonna Happen

"Why didn't you?" She fidgeted with her fingers as she whispered the question, she always did when she was nervous. That thought made her stop immediately knowing that Klaus's eyes noticed everything.

"Excuse me?" He had turned his head towards her with a small frown on his brow. He was near the lighted fireplace and the fire was casting shadow and light alternitively on his face as it cracked, licking at the logs.

"We were together for almost a week, before I realised that it was _**you**_...inside Tyler's body," she took a deep breath, which she really didn't need but she took it anyway, to better gather her thoughts, "you could have...taken advantage...of the situation anytime,' she shook her head and frowned deeply, 'infact I, I even initiated a...a...a situation and you refused..." she started fidgeting with her fingers again but this time, couldn't make herself stop, "you invented some excuse and..."

"You still think so low of me?" He interrupted her with a low voice.

At that she took another very deep breath, as she felt anger rising in her, _How dare he sounds...hurt? After all he's done!_

She abruptly stood up from the sofa where she had been sitting since she had arrived at his mansion and took a couple steps closer to him, "I'll **always** think that low of you, don't you know that by now?!"

"No!" He fully turned to look at her now, and though his face was more hidden in the shadows with the fire at his back, she could clearly see the anger sparkling in his eyes,

"You want to! You **wished** you still felt that way about me, cause it would all be simpler!" He raised his eyebrows at her, 'Right love? If I had done it, now you'd have a real, solid reason to hate me!"

"I don't need **another** reason to hate you!"

"Careful, Caroline..." He growled under his breath but she ignored him and went on, "Let's be clear here, we both know you've been trying to get in my pants for weeks..."

He made a pained face at her choice of words but again she ignored him, "and you had **that** good an oppurtunity and you don't take it!? I want to know what game you're playing..." She suddenly stopped and went even closer to him, "Or was this your game?...some Machiavellic plan, thinking that since this is what I expected you to do, you don't do it, so that when I find out it was you in Tyler, I would go all 'Oh my God! Klaus maybe a mass murderer but he's really a gentleman at heart!"

A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he turned towards the fire again, lighting his handsome features,

"That's it, isn't it? That's why you're smiling?!"

"I was thinking that I knew Machiavelli, and even he wouldn't have come up with such a tortorous plan!" His smile grew bigger.

"Machiavelli? You knew...you knew the real Machiavelli, the real..." She clamped her mouth shut, she didn't want him to see how impressed she was by that knowledge!

"Not well, only talked to him a couple of times."

"Don't change the subject!" She snapped at him. Better keep hold of her anger, or she would give in and ask what Machiavelli was like, what Italy was like in those days, what the world...

"I'm not." He was still smiling as he fixed his gaze intently in hers. _When had they got this close? _

"Believe it or not, sweetheart," he drawled quietly, "I don't have any trouble getting a woman to come to my bed of her own free will."

"Well, the only way **this **woman would have come willingly was, if you had kept pretending to be Tyler and..." She faltered and scowled _God, that sounded like it was what I wanted! _ "...and that didn't come out the way I meant it...but you know exactly what I meant, damn you!" It was all she could do to stop from stamping her foot on the thick carpet under her feet. _Why was she so flustered? I swear that if he laughs at me..._

"Caroline." She gave a small sigh at him saying her name, _why did it sound even better than all the endearments he was always calling her..._ _it must be his stupid accent's fault._ Her eyes climbed to meet his and her mind seemed to come to an abrupt halt as his gaze, mere inches away, bore into hers.

"When you and I make love," she gave a small smirk, but he only smiled, "if you and I ever make love...when it happens, there will be no doubt in your mind, whose arms you're in."

_Could a vampire heart skip a beat? And could he hear it?_

"Dream on." Was the only retort her mind seem to come up with.

"Is that an invitation?" His eyebrows went up with surprise.

"Don't you dare! If you only..." She stopped her own words, and with a small sigh said instead, "you...wouldn't."

"Finally! She's catching on!" He said in a quiet voice that couldn't quite hide his satisfaction. "No games, love," His voice had turned serious again and his eyes studied her features slowly before he glued them to hers. "No dreams, no compulsions, no using someonelse's body...it will be you and I," his face came an inch closer to hers, narrowing the room to nothing but the blue of his eyes. "You and I, for real."

She wanted to look away but couldn't...there was something in his words...something that created a sharp intense feeling in her stomach she didn't want to analyze. Finally she blinked and broke the contact.

"It's never gonna happen." she whispered and before he could reply with one of his smart quips, she used her vampire speed to leave the house leaving him alone in front of the fire.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the 2nd chapter! **

**The song that's mentioned is called 'Young and Beautiful'.  
**

Never gonna happen

Chapter 2.

"Never took you for a coward."

Caroline turned abruptly towards the voice behind her, her hair swishing across her cheeks, "Because I'm not."

"It's what people who run away are called." Klaus replied with a small smile.

"I'm not running away, I was just leaving..."

"From the back door, leaving your drink half finished, the second you saw me coming in?" He tilted his head sideways, his eyes never leaving her face.

"You're a fast vampire, sweetheart, but I'm a faster hybrid."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Don't you ever get tired of bragging about yourself?"

"That's not bragging, love," He answered back, "That's stating facts."

She sighed and rolled her eyes again, to which he only smiled wider.

"So..." His arms opened, encompassing the narrow alley behind The Grill, where they stood. The moon was almost full but it barely shed any light where they stood, but they didn't need it with their perfect eyesight. The music could still be heard from the closed door behind them and kitchen noises could be heard from the open window on their left.

She put her hands on her hips. "So I left because I didn't want to talk to you!"

"Why ever not?"

Her mouth gaped open at that. "Because I don't like you!"

He was the one to sigh now. "Are you trying that thing, where you repeat the same thing to yourself, until finally you make yourself believe it?!"

Her mouth still open she shook her head in disbelief.

"Give up already! I'm with Tyler, I love Tyler, I will be with Tyler forever."

"Forever?!" He repeated with a smirk, "You're still talking like a human!"

"No!" she shouted back, "that doesn't change anything..."

"Immortality changes everything! You **literally** have forever, Caroline!"

"If I live to be 50 or 500, my feelings won't change..."

He was the one shaking his head at her now, "My God, you're sooooo young..."

"Don't patronize me!"

"I'm not!" He denied, "But it's true, you're so young and so..." he looked at her for a long second and whispered almost like an after thought, "so beautiful."

"What?! Now you''re gonna tell me you knew Elvis Presley as well?"

Klaus look stunned for a second before turning his head up and bursting out laughing. She frowned at him. If she could still blush she would, as always

she had blurted the first thing that came to her mind...cause the words he had said where from her mother's favourite song of Presley and she used to...and...

"Huh..." She let out a sound between a sigh and a disbelieving gasp as she watched Klaus, still laughing his heart out, a rich deep laugh that transformed his face with those huge dimples in full bloom.

She realised with almost a shock, that it was the first time she had heard him laugh. Smirk, chuckle, snort, yes, but this laugh, this laugh that seem to come from deep inside him and made him look...

"No, no, I never had the pleasure," he answered as he regained composure still chuckling under his breath. A huge smile still on his lips, he looked at her but then it abruptly totally disappeared to be replaced with a big frown and furious anger in his eyes!

His fingers closed hard on her upper arm as he pulled her to him and with a growl said. "Don't ever look at me that way!"

"What?!"

"I can take it all, your rejection, your insults, but don't you dare feel sorry for me Caroline!"

Her eyes widened at his outburst, "You're hurting me!"

The words had barely left her mouth, when he released her so abruptly, she staggered back.

His hand went back to steady her but stopped himself before he touched her and lowering his head, he spread his palm upward like in surrender but didn't offer an apology.

"I think pity is the last emotion you could ever stir in anyone!" She hissed at him, as her fingers rubbed the place where he had grabbed her arm.

His eyes followed the movement of her hand, then giving a small nod and still not looking at her, he turned to leave...

"I was thinking..." He stopped and slowly his eyes went back to meet hers. She stopped too, _What am I doing? I don't owe him any explanation and yet the words seem to want to come out of their own free will..._

"I was thinking, that you should laugh more often," she shrugged as if her words meant nothing, "you looked like, like the young man, the world sees when it looks at you."

He looked intently at her for a long moment, before lowering his eyes to the ground, "I haven't...laughed that hard in...ages." He smiled on the last word and she knew he meant it literally. His smile slowly widened and his eyes went back to her face, "See, you do me good, you make me laugh, another reason why I like you."

"You just don't give up, do you?"

"Why should I?" he retorted, as he raised his eyebrows at her and smiled devilishly, "I have forever too, remember?"

She slightly frowned in the face of that open smile for her and with a small shake of her head whispered, almost to herself, "It's all a game to you..." She then sighed, and looking straight in his eyes said, "It's never gonna happen," she opened her arms wide "and see, I'm not running away this time, I'm telling you and then I'm leaving...it's never going to happen." She almost choked on the last words and she hated herself for it, hated that she was the first to look away but straightening her back, she slowly turned and left the alley.


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter gave me a bit of a headache, and I'm not completely happy with it, even now! But here goes, Chapter 3!  
**

Never gonna happen

Chapter 3.

"You know what's creepy?..."

"You?! keeping on staring at them? Stop it! Or they'll notice us!" Caroline hissed at Tyler from across their dinner table.

"I think they're actually celebrating something...I think something to do with Klaus..."

"Klaus? Why do you say that?" Unconsciously Caroline's head turned to study the original family at the table on the other side of the restaurant. Elijah was quietly eating, Rebekah was saying something to which Kol was laughing loudly and Klaus was at the head of the table, his back leaning on his chair away from the table with a glass of wine in his hand as he looked at his sister. The men wore suits and ties and Rebekah had a golden short sleevless dress on.

"If it's him they are celebrating, he doesn't look to be having fun." She couldn't help observe as she noticed the uninterested look on his face as he listened to whatever his sister was saying.

"Why? Have you ever seen him having fun if he wasn't killing or torturing someone?" Tyler asked her as he finally turned his attention to the plate in front of him and cut a piece of his steak.

"That's true." She whispered even as a memory of a hearty laugh filled her ears as if she was hearing it now.

"Maybe we should call the Salvatores..."

"Whatever for?!" Her eyes widened on him.

"They are all together! They could be planning something!"

"They are a family, having a dinner out, what's so strange about that?"

Tyler looked at her as if she had grown an extra head, "Because they're not **just **a family, they are the originals!"

"Lower your voice!" She frowned at him, "And you said it yourself, that they are most probably celebrating something..."

"That doesn't mean that..."

"Why stir trouble?"

"Stir..." Again Tyler looked totally shocked as he shook his head at her, "Do I need to remind you that little bitch killed Elena..."

"NO, Tyler!" She fumed out with a horrified look in her eyes, "Believe me that is something that I will **never **forget!" She felt the prick of tears in her eyes and she lowered her face to the plate in front of her.

"I didn't mean..."

She gave a small shake with her head and gave him a little smile to make him see she wasn't angry with him. She put her fork down, her appetite gone and gave a big trembling sigh, "It's just that I'm so, so tired..."

He frowned at her words so she went on, "I'm tired of being worried, of being...afraid...of something happening to the people I care about...Elena...is a vampire now," she whispered, "Alaric is gone and we almost lost Matt and..." her eyes filled to the brim with tears as she looked at him, "next time it could be...our mothers...or Jeremy or..."

"Caroline..."

"We haven't had any contact with them for weeks!" she kept on more firmly, _my short talks with Klaus are not worth mentioning, _she thought as she kept talking, "Klaus has no need for Elena's blood anymore, maybe if we ignore them, they'll ignore us and it will be, I don't know...like...like an unspoken truce between us and everyone can just go on with their lives!" Even as she uttered the words she realised how impossible that was and yet, a small part of her wished against reason for there to be a way to make it happen!

"Are you crazy? You can't really believe that's possible?!" Tyler's mouth was agape as he looked at her as if she had three heads now!

"I don't know!" She took a deep breath inside, not ready to admit that it was just a daydream she had once in a while, "what I do know, is that this was supposed to be a romantic dinner like we haven't had in...ever, and as always it's turning into..." A tear streamed down her left cheek and she brushed it away angrily, "...I need to go to the restroom." In a blink of an eye she had left their table and walked the short distance to the restrooms...which were occupied, she noticed with a tired grimace.

"Good evening, sweetheart." The soft voice so near her ear made her jump even as she recognized the owner immediately.

"Did you follow me here?!" She hissed at him even as she tried to blink away the rest of her tears, before he could see them.

"Yes, I did...I just had to tell you how incredibly stunning you look tonight." He said in a quiet tone as his eyes took in her one shouldered black dress and her hair piled up, soft tendrils framing her pretty face.

She frowned and rolled her eyes at him but before she could utter a single word, he asked, "Enjoying your dinner?"

"Up until a few moments ago, yes," she frowned deeper at him, "The food is really good."

"The wine is even better." He replied smoothly, ignoring her obvious sarcasm at small talk.

Her head leaned side ways as she looked at him, her frown still present, trying to understand what he was up to, but as usual reading Klaus's face was impossible. He looked back at her with a small smile on his face and a clear look in his blue eyes.

The door in front of her stayed close and she decided that two can play that game. "So...celebrating something?"

"Me, of course!" His smile grew wider as he pointed at himself, "Still being here!"

"Hurray!" she muttered under her breath.

He chuckled at that, the sound sending a shiver down her spine, even as she fumed inside cause he never seemed to take offence at her insults!

"Rebekah wanted it to be a surprise," he continued, "that's why she organized it here instead of at the mansion, so that she could keep me in the dark."

"But I bet that was wishful thinking on her part." She stated knowingly.

He frowned at that, "My sister has known me for a thousand years and I convinced her of my utter surprise...yet I can't seem to fool you." She started to shrug but her shoulders stopped as he continued, "I'm not sure I like it."

They stared at each other, one studing the other. Caroline tied her arms in front of her and with a sigh, broke the silence first. "Allright, I give in, what do you want? what game are you playing?" she asked.

"No games, love, remember?" He answered with a small shake of his head, while her eyes widened slightly as she recalled when he had said that, "I guess I wanted to see how a truce could work between us...acting friendly or..."

"W-What?!..." Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times as she tried to come to terms with what he had just said! "My God, you were spying on us?!" She finally shrieked when she had regained her voice.

"Spying?!" he almost spat the word, "No...I can't help my hearing being good, can I?" He finished with a shrug, his face a perfect mask of innocence.

"Oh my God! you're...you're..." She almost screamed in frustration as he kept calmly looking down at her.

"Why are you so angry?!" He asked, "You would have told me eventually..." His voice died as he saw the murderous look in her eyes. "I may not know much about truces, love, but I'm pretty sure they work better if both parties are aware of it."

"Unspoken!" she growled at him, the same moment her right high heel stamped on the wooden floor, leaving a dent. "I said **unspoken** truce!"

"Riiiight...you did say unspoken..." A light of mirth entered his eyes.

"Ohh, you can just go ahead and say it's a stupid idea, Tyler certainly thinks so!"

"Not stupid," he denied gently, "just...very, very difficult, breaching on impossible?"

Her shoulders sagged at that, cause how could she be angry at him, when she had thought the same thing just a few moments before, and then, he could have made fun of her, of her fears which he had obviously overheard, but didn't.

"Too much water under the bridge, huh?" She whispered. She didn't know why she couldn't let the idea go, as much as totally undoable it was!

"Too much blood, you mean." He replied.

She gave a sad chuckle at his words, and nodded to herself, _totally undoable, _ "And on that note..." She looked at the still closed door and spoke louder, "and since whoever is in there has decided to make it her home..." she squared her shoulders, as she looked at him, "I'll go back to my date."

Two fingers gently touched her forearm to stop her, "We could try to make the truce work...just between us..." He suggested softly.

She turned to look at him, ignoring the way that just that slight touch, unnerved her, "And what would I gain from that?"

"Having me as an ally...any kind of ally, is always a good thing, believe me." He said with a smirk on his face. She turned to study his face as she seemed to consider his offer,

"We could talk about it some more...I'll come to your table, ask you _both_ to join us for a drink, maybe a dance and..."

"No! You can't!" She shouted at him, even as his eyebrows climbed high on his forehead and she knew that telling him that he couldn't do something would probably have the opposite effect on him, "please..." she found herself adding, "don't..."

He looked at her for a long moment before simply saying, "All right then...another time."

She stared at him wide eyed not really believing he was giving in so easily. He gave her a small smile and added, "It was never my intention to upset you, sweetheart." Could he possibly own the devil's own heart in his chest and still act actually...decent...even _thoughtful_!? and even more astounding...could he be doing it for HER!?

Suddenly he smiled, the dimples making an appearance on his cheeks "...I think this is how a tru...an unspoken truce works...enjoy the rest of your evening."

And he left as quietly as he had arrived.

As she watched his retreating back, she couldn't help think that he, who owned a devil's heart shouldn't also possess the smile of an angel.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

"You have got to be kidding me?!...This is stalking, you know?" Caroline stood, with a bucket full of popcorn in one hand while the other balled into a fist on her hip as she glared at the hybrid sitting one aisle up from her at the Mystic Falls Cinema.

"Hardly stalking, love." He rolled his eyes at her, "We haven't met in weeks."

_Two weeks and four days _but that was her vampire perfect memory speaking not that she had been counting or anything!

"Still..."

"I'm not here for you."

"Like hell you're not!" She retorted dropping the bucket on her seat.

He leaned over, hugging her seat from behind, making his black t-shirt stretch on his shoulders and his biceps bulge, "I'm hungry."

"What?!"

"Dark place...lot of people..." He winked at her, and her stupid heart did a somersault, and that was because of what he had just said she assured herself.

"NO!...No, you are not ruining my favourite movie by draining people around me while I watch it!" She hissed between her teeth.

"Relax..."

"NO!..."

"Sheesh..." The sound came from the black haired girl sitting two seats away from Caroline. The blond vampire turned her angry stare on her, "Seriously? genius? The movie hasn't started yet!"

"That's not the way it's done, love." In one graceful movement, Klaus was out of his seat and landed in the one empty next to the girl. Another head, this one a short haired brunette leaned over the shoulder of the black haired one and they both smiled a "Hi." to Klaus. Caroline rolled her eyes as he smiled back, "Girls," he said softly, looking into their eyes, "you will both walk out of this theatre, right now." They both stood up so abruptly, it was a miracle they didn't fall atop each other as they both hurried to the exit. He turned his wicked smile on Caroline and raised his brows.

She shook her head at him but before she could say a word, a man from a few aisles back called out, "Hey, blondie, think you're gonna sit down anytime soon?"

Klaus gritted his teeth as he turned furious eyes on the poor fellow but she grabbed his arm and sat down next to him, putting the bucket in her lap. "No need." She whispered, then realising she was touching him, snaked her hand back.

"So," Klaus said as he gave one last angry stare to the man before returning all his attention to her, "how have you been? we haven't talked since, oh yes, the night of the truce."

"Don't remind me of that horrible night." She fairly growled.

"Horrible? Why?"

"I had a fight with Tyler, because of you...he realised you left your table too and..."

His eyes widened in mock horror, "Oh no, pray, do tell."

"Oh, shut up! you were listening to every word we were saying!"

She had spent the day after, sending countless texts and leaving phone messages to Tyler, assuring him that he had nothing to worry about, when it came to Klaus before she had finally convinced him.

A tiny little voice inside her told her she wasn't being totally honest but she refused to believe that voice, shutting it out each time it tried to say something.

Klaus seemed to be finding it hard to keep a straight face, and she narrowed her eyes on him. "And 'Young and beautiful'? Seriously?!"

"...The pianist knew it!" He shrugged at her, "And since you refused to dance with me, hearing our song was the next best thing."

"We. Do **not** have a song." She denied vehemently.

"Too late, love," He contradicted her, "I'll never hear that song again without thinking of you."

"Hmph..." Was all she answered as she thought that she'd die before admitting that it was probably the same for her too.

"How come you're alone?" He asked, changing the subject.

She shrugged, a little pout still on her lips "Tyler wouldn't be caught dead watching a chick flick...Elena has other...things on her mind right now and..." lowering her voice to a mumble she added, "still not talking to Bonnie."

"What she did? She saved everyone's life that night, you know?" He said matter of factly.

"Of course, **you **defend her!...and I don't want to talk about it!" She added putting a popcorn in her mouth when she saw that he was going to say something more. "The movie is starting...be good." She warned him with a stern look as all the lights went off and the big screen came to life.

"If I can't drink, can I at least have some popcorn?" He whispered, less than a minute later.

She moved the bucket to his side and he put his hand in it, grabbing a fist and dropping the white buttered corns all over her lap.

She sighed heavily before picking them up and throwing them at him, hitting him in the nose with one.

"Hey..." He turned to glare at her but his lips are wide with a broad smile. A smile she found herself answering with one of her own.

Suddenly as if realising who she was smiling to, she lowered her eyes and turned to watch the screen.

Pride and Prejudice. She had seen it, the first time it came out, she had been about eleven then, and had fallen in love with it. She had gone straight home and ordered the book, and had loved that one as well. She had the dvd all worn out from all the times she had watched it since then, and still when she heard that the cinema was showing it again, she hadn't resisted seeing it on the big screen one more time!

She was acutely aware of Klaus's arm touching hers on the arm rests and his hand grazed hers a few times as he reached for more popcorn but still as always she got lost in the story, in the characters she knew so well, the lines...

Over two hours later when the ending credits started to roll, she closed her eyes and let out a little sigh of happiness and when she opened them again, the hybrid next to her was intently looking at her face.

"What?" she asked defensively, as she waited for a what she expected to be a snarky remark.

The theatre had been lighted once more, and people were slowly and noisely making their way to the exit but they stayed seated.

"Your favourite movie, huh?" He asked with a smile, "I bet I know your favourite line too."

"You think?" She asked as she brushed small bits of corn from her jeans.

"You have bewitched me, body and soul." His mouth was so close to her ear, his breath teased the small hairs on her nape escaping her ponytail, making her gasp.

"No...you're wrong," She knew that if she turned to look at him, they were so close their noses would touch, so she didn't, "It's a b-beautiful line..." She felt his warm breath on her neck, "but it's not my favourite." Abruptly she turned her back to rest against the other armrest, pulling one of her legs up to her chest lending herself some space, even if it meant she was looking directly at him now.

His lips tilted up at the sides, "Which one is it, then?"

She took a small breath in and said, "You must know, surely you must know, it was all for you."

"Why?" He asked, obviously curious with her choice.

"Don't you see?" she asked, her eyes bright, "This man...this man was rejected by her in a horrific way, with a hell to the no, loud and clear!" He chuckled and his eyes softened as he looked at her being so earnest with her explanation.

"Not even if you're the last man on earth she said, and **that** obviously hurt his pride, his heart, and yet...and yet when she needed help he was there, totally, and he helped two of her sisters, one from a scandal and the other one to be with the man she loved, and it was all...all for her, just for Lizzie...even if he was the last man on earth she'd want..." Her voice died down as he raised his eyebrows at her and smiled like he had just discovered a big secret.

_He wasn't thinking, surely he wasn't thinking...comparing what she just said...to..._ She cleared her throat, unable even to finish her thought. She licked her lips, and they tasted salty making her clear her throat nervously again. Desperate to break the silence, she lunged forward with the first thought that came to her mind, "I love the last part too." Her voice sounded breathless to her own ears.

"The kiss?" He asked as his eyes stared at her lips.

"NO!" She laughed nervously, "I mean, the kiss is nice of course, but I meant the conversation with her dad." She was conscious of blabbering but couldn't stop herself, "you know, when she explains to her father, how everyone was wrong about Darcy, that his arrogance and indifferent ways, hid a wonderful, loving man behind them and ohhh..." _HOLY CRAP! this just wasn't happening?! There was no way..._

"Everyone's gone!" She shrieked as she stood up, "We should leave too." And without waiting for him, she walked to the exit door. When she stopped to throw the empty bucket in the recycle bin, he was next to her, a small smile still on his lips.

They left the building without saying a word and found themselves out on the sidewalk, with the moon shining down on the almost deserted street.

She started walking towards her car, very aware of his quiet presence next to her. _Why was he so silent?_

She darted a look from the corner of her eye at him. A slight breeze ruffled his hair as he looked straight ahead. "You can admit it, if you didn't like it." She shrugged as if it wasn't important but waited anxiously for his answer.

"But I did." He contradicted her gently, "I've read the book, years...and years ago..."

"I did too!" A gush of relief filled her, making her voice breathless, "...well, not years and years ago of course but..." She giggled and he smiled, his eyes watching her mouth.

She lowered her head, to avoid his gaze and noticed her hands, her fingers twitching and untwitching nervously. She stopped immediately and wiped her palms on her jeans instead.

Knowing that her vehicle was just a few steps away, she fished for her key in her back pocket and suddenly her other hand was in his, and before she realised his intention, he raised it to his lips and brushed them softly against her knuckles.

"I enjoyed your company, Caroline." He said softly as he released her hand.

_And I yours_. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but this was Klaus in front of her and she couldn't bring herself to say it, so instead she gave him a stiff nod and turned to open the driver's side.

A gush of wind touched her face, and she knew he was gone before she turned to look where he stood a second before. She bit hard on her lower lip, as a pang of disappointment hit her like a fist in her stomach. "Damn..." she swore angrily to herself.

She slammed the car door unnecessarily as soon as she was seated and grabbed the steering wheel hard, her eyes gazing at the spot where he had kissed her hand.

She stretched her fingers wide as if to erase the touch, and suddenly, Darcy's hand from the movie doing the exact same movement came vividly to her mind. She broke into an almost hysterical laugh as she kept looking at her hand.

"Don't be an idiot!" she chided herself. _There is no other man to find behind Klaus's cruelty! So what if he had saved her life and what if he was capable now and then, of a nice gesture...that didn't mean...that didn't make him less...and why the hell did he leave so suddenly?!_

"Damn!" she swore again, her fist hitting the wheel. _The truth is that I don't know anymore! The way he looked at me tonight...the way he __**always**__ looks at me... _

"Stop it!" She shouted to herself in the quiet interior of her car but it felt like she wasn't capable of shutting up that tiny little voice inside her anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 is up.**

**Elena and Stefan are in this one.**

Chapter 5.

"Do you think I'll get those drinks before the next millenium, please?" Caroline smiled sweetly at the guy behind the bar at the Grill.

"Sorry, darling," He said as he kept serving customers on the other side of the bar, "I'm minus two busboys tonight...I'm doing the best I can...you too, buddy, be with you as soon as I can." he said to someone next to her.

"No problem, mate."

That voice, that accent, never stopped chilling her insides and yet filling her with a warmth too. She couldn't understand it, It was such a heady feeling!

"Klaus..." She turned to look at him.

"Hello, sweetheart." As always, his smile for her was sweet.

"I didn't see you there."

"Or you would have left?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

She smiled and bit her lip, remembering the last time they had met here.

She almost added that he had been the one to disappear after the movie but decided it was better not to bring that up.

She turned to look at the bartender again, finding him still busy serving. "I"ve been here like forever!" she grumbled.

"How about a dance then?" Klaus asked softly.

"I don't think..."

"You owe me one, remember?...it beats waiting here for our drinks!" He shrugged his shoulders clad in a black leather jacket. "Just one dance, I..."

"You won't bite, I know."

He was the one to smile in rememberance now, "Not unless you want me to." He whispered in her ear, sending one long shiver down her spine.

Her eyes first widened then narrowed on him. He chuckled, "Can't blame a man for trying." He held out his hand, "Come on..."

She put her hand in his and he squeezed it for a brief moment before he walked to the dance area with their hands entwined.

Going into his arms felt almost familiar, like it had happened a thousand times before instead of just those two times they had danced together.

A classic slow eighties song was playing as his free arm encircled her waist and the other kept hold of her hand which he then put on his chest between their bodies.

"Where's Tyler?"

She frowned at the question but answered the same, "Out of town, with his mom...family stuff to take care of..."

"Did you like the eighties?" She asked, completely changing the subject on purpose.

"No..." He shook his head, "Some decent songs, I guess, but terrible clothes and hideous hairdos!"

She laughed at the face he made.

"Caroline, is everything all right?" Elena's face appeared behind Klaus's head, her brown eyes staring directly into her friend's.

"Look at me, Caroline." Stefan was suddenly on the other side of them.

"I didn't compel her, Stefan." Klaus voice was calm, as he slowly turned his head to look at his former friend, his stubble grazing Caroline's temple, while his arms kept holding on to her.

"Why would she be here with you if you hadn't?" Elena hissed at him from the other side.

Caroline was the one to sqeeze his hand this time, "I owed it to him." She told her best friend, looking at her from under Klaus's chin, as she too didn't move away from his arms. "I'm fine, ok?" she smiled at the dark haired girl, "I'll be at our table in a minute." She turned pleading eyes on Stefan, who was still glaring at Klaus.

"I said, I'm fine." she repeated more firmly when they both stayed unmoving by their side.

Stefan held his hand out to his girl, "Let's go, Elena." and they both moved away but Elena kept her eyes on Caroline, mouthing something unreadable.

She felt Klaus's eyes on her and she looked up at him. For a moment time seemed to stand still as his blue eyes became her whole world, there was a flicker of something in his eyes that she couldn't read...sometimes reading this hybrid came so easily to her, it felt almost like she's known him all her life or all of his, but then there were other times, like now, that trying to understand what he was thinking was...like trying to read chinese!

She could feel their legs touching as they swayed in each other's arms, his hand warm at the small of her back.

"Did you just choose me over your friends?" He finally asked. Again, even his voice held a certain something...

"I did no such thing." She denied vehemently, "Elena...has become...kind of overprotective since turning and if I left at half a song, you would surely ask for another dance, better to get it over with."

She felt his body stiffen next to hers and she closed her eyes knowing how bad, that had sounded. The last chorus of the song faded away and he released her immediately, "Seems we just did." He said in a really low voice. Leaving her there, he walked back to the bar. She turned and started to follow him but the bartender motioned to her table with his head, "Brought them over to you, there." She smiled her thanks and after one long look at Klaus's back, she walked to her table, where Stefan and Elena waited with an expectant look in both of their eyes.

"Finally!" she said in a cheerful tone, eyeing the drinks, "I"m thirsty!"

She drank slowly, watching her friends over the rim of her glass, whose gazes hadn't flicked from her for a second.

Elena threw her arms in the air, "Seriously?! You were **willingly **being with Klaus."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Too bad!" Elena retorted, throwing a long strand of hair behind her shoulder, "you were laughing, I mean really **laughing** with him, I saw you..."

"I **really **don't want to talk about it!" Caroline threw a desperate look at her friend, but it was like she wasn't even hearing her cause she kept on as if the blond vampire in front of her hadn't spoken.

"...you were like...enjoying yourself! and your eyes...I know you..."

"Shut her up, please!" She pleaded with Stefan.

Elena turned to her boyfriend, "I know her!...she's crushing on him or something!"

"Oh my God!" Caroline face palmed herself, and then let out a huge big sigh "...you might as well join us, Klaus."

"What?!" Her words finally stopped Elena's tirade who then gasped out loud, as a second later, Klaus seated himself next to Caroline.

"Again! What?!" The newest vampire of the group asked again, looking at Klaus as if he was a creature who had just come out of some hole.

"He was eavsdropping," Stefan explained to her, "which is why she kept telling you she didn't want to talk about it."

"Ohhh..." Elena turned, a pained look on her face, _Sorry_ she mouthed, before looking disgustingly at Klaus again, "Jerk!"

"Pfttt." Was his reaction as he looked back at her, giving her stare for stare, "Really? that's the best/worst you can come up with?"

"Why did you invite him to sit with us exactly?" She turned her eyes to Caroline but Klaus answered instead, with a sly smile on his face,

"Cause it's rude to talk about someone behind his back...and what was it that you were saying again?"

"Douche-bag!"

Caroline closed her eyes with another sigh as her friend tried to insult him again and he just chuckled under his breath.

"Why can't you be like Katherine other than just looks?" He asked her, "Stefan could tell you a lot about that, he knows aaaall about her."

"Ok, that's enough!" Stefan hissed at the older vampire.

"This, was my worst idea ever." Caroline mumbled, as she felt like hitting her head on the table. Hard.

"Dick!"

Stefan winced painfully, while Caroline had to hide a small smile behind her hand. Klaus just burst out laughing.

"How can you stand him?!" Elena's eyes went from Stefan to Caroline, "Like for real, how can you stand him?!"

Stefan sighed heavily, "He's just Klaus...being Klaus."

"Oh, such great insight, thank you," His girl friend answered sarcastically, "What about you?" She asked the other girl, "How do you put up with him?"

"The way we've put up with you the last few months."

"Caroline?!" Elena looked utterly shocked while Klaus clapped his hands slowly.

"Now **that's** how it's done!" he said pointing at Caroline, while looking at Elena.

"I'm sorry Elena, you know I love you like a sister," She took hold of her friend's hand from across the table, "But you have to admit, you haven't exactly been the easiest person to be around since..."

Elena looked at her vampire boyfriend, obviously waiting for him to deny Caroline's claim. "Stefan?"

"She's exaggerating! You needed time to adjust..."

"You used to be a better liar, ripper."

"Ohh, shut up!" Caroline turned angry eyes on Klaus but he just chuckled again and took a big gulp of his drink.

"Now that's something new..." Stefan said quietly while looking at Klaus, who raised his eyebrows at him in question. "Last time, I heard someone telling you to shut up, I saw his head roll next to his feet two seconds later."

Both girls gasped in horror and Klaus chin jutted out, an indication of his anger rising.

"Yes, Caroline," Stefan had turned his eyes intently on the blond girl in front of him, "that's the kind of monster you seem to like spending time with lately."

Klaus's head shifted slightly to look at Caroline and she flicked her eyes to him for a second before looking down at her drink. He breathed heavily and she knew he had read the mistrust in her eyes.

"Do you really want to go there, my friend?" Klaus's voice was dead calm, his attention back to Stefan. "Is any one of your...happy lot, in any position to throw the first stone?" He shrugged, "At least I have always been honest about what I am."

"A psycopath who smiled as he watched me bleed dry..." Elena's voice was barely audible as she looked at him with eyes full of hatred, "How does it feel, to know my blood is still here?" She pushed her wrists under his face, "completely useless to you now...no more hybrids, slaves...army, whatever the hell you wanted to call them!"

"I could do it again...just for the fun of it, this time."

"**Don't** threaten her!" Stefan was out of his chair looking down at Klaus.

_How could I have been so stupid! _Caroline closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, willing tears not to fall! _Did I really think that bringing him to our table, would make that stupid truce a possibility?! That maybe they would see what I saw...they had attacked and he had attacked back, ten times fold, she knew that, could sense it in his anger, in his cold, menacing voice that chilled her to the bone...and still she was stupid enough to wish..._

"I think you should leave..." Caroline whispered softly.

"Out of town-for good-destination-bottom of the ocean, is what she means!" Elena scoffed coldly at him.

"Stop trying so hard, little one." He replied.

Stefan's eyes narrowed on him, "Why are you still here, Klaus? Elena's got a point, no more doppelganger's blood for you to use, so why stay?"

Caroline's fingers were twitching so hard together they had turned ghostly white.

"I have my reasons."

"Which are?" Elena asked.

"None of your business." He snapped at her.

"If your **reasons**," she spat back, "have anything to do with my best friend there, then even if you do have all the time in the world, I suggest you stop wasting it, cause it's never gonna happen!"

Caroline remembered saying those exact words to him, _was that just weeks ago? _and she would have bet her life on those words then, and now...

"Do you want me to leave town, Caroline?"

A bone in her ring finger cracked, but she didn't even feel the pain. Klaus and Elena's glares fought a silent battle while her eyes met Stefan's, who saw the unmistakable glistening of tears. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but Caroline spoke first,

"Why are you asking me?" She whispered softly, "I don't...care whether you stay or go..." The last word was barely audible as she felt as if it was being wrenched from her heart. She felt him go completely still next to her and she knew...she **knew** she had hurt him!

"Wow..." Elena whistled, still staring at Klaus, "so that's what it takes...and with not even a name-calling..."

Caroline couldn't bring herself to look at Klaus, as long seconds ticked by without anyone moving a muscle.

And then...incredibly, Klaus chuckled under his breath.

The blond girl did dare to look at him then, she could see a dimple on his cheek, could see his lips lifted at the corner as his eyes remained on Elena.

He cocked his head but he never broke eye contact with her, and for a moment, Caroline really feared for Elena's life...

"Know what? You could actually end up being fun to be around as a vampire." A loud haggard breath left Caroline's mouth as she realised he was actually _congratulating? _Elena for being...nasty?!

From the corner of her eye, she saw him get up, and felt his eyes bore holes in her cheek for a long moment, and still she didn't look at him. "Thank you, this was...entertaining."

Elena leaned her body closer to her friend across the table."What the hell are you doing, Caroline?"

"Don't..." She shook her head at her.

"He's gone, he can't hear you." Stefan said quietly.

Her head did turn then, her eyes rapidly searching for him among the people milling around the bar, but she only caught a glimpse of his jacket as the door closed behind him.

"How long has this been going on?" Elena asked her, her eyes intent on hers.

"It's not what you think!" Caroline's eyes were wide as she looked from one to the other, "I was trying...we...I...it was kind of a truce..."

Stefan snorted, "A what?!"

"I know it sounds stupid said like that! And it is, I just realised just how stupid but...but I really taught that if I could get to be f-friends with Klaus then maybe..." Her voice died as she saw the incredulous looks they were both giving her, "But I, I learned my lesson tonight and...and it's...over." She added trying to add firmness to her voice, "I'll stay away from him from now on, I will."

Elena grabbed her hand and squeezed hard, "Care, I've known you since we were little girls."

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"I **know **you." Her friend squeezed her hand again, and Caroline felt her eyes prickle again with unshed tears, "I can see it in your eyes even now..."

"Noo," The blond shook her head at her, "it's not like that...maybe...maybe the reasons why I was doing it...just got a little...blurred along the way...but..."

"Caroline," Stefan's voice was dead serious as he made her turn to him, "This is Klaus we're talking about here! I know...I know how charismatic and charming he can be, believe me, but you. cannot. trust. him."

She opened her mouth to speak but he kept on talking, "What need does he have of a truce with us...have you ever thought about that? it's not like we can kill him! If he agreed to this? He's got another motive, he **always** does!"

She bit her lip hard, tasting blood and closed her eyes briefly. "You're right, you're absolutely right." She took a very deep breath in, "And there will be no more of this nonsense...none whatsoever." She smiled briefly at Elena, "I'm sorry I ruined your night, guys."

"Caroline..."

"In fact, I'm gonna leave right now and let you try to salvage some of it on your own...I'm sure you'll come up with something..." She laughed weakly at her own words.

Elena called her name again as she turned to leave, "I'm fine, Elena, truly." In a few brisk steps, she was out of the bar.

A cold breeze hit her in the face the second she took a step away from the door, and she huddled her jacket closer to her body, not because she felt the cold, she didn't anymore since turning but because it kind of helped her keep herself together, even as the first tears start trickling down her face.

She broke in a run to her car on the other side of the darkened street, and took her key out from her pocket and then stopped.

"Klaus..." she called him gently, wiping the tears away, "if you're here...just come out..."

A gust of wind blew her hair into her face and she turned around expectantly but it was only that...wind.

A sob escaped from between her lips and she put her hands on the roof of her car and leaned her forehead on them.

_'What are you doing? What are you doing?! Stefan's right! You can't trust him, you can't!'_

_Whenever has he lied to you? _That little voice that had been constantly with her lately, spoke up, _he told you the truce was impossible, and you knew it too, so stop lying to yourself about it, that was just an excuse to spend time with him without feeling guilty..._

_'The way he talked to Elena tonight! He was so cruel, his voice...'_

_Something else he never lied to you about...who he was!_

"I'm going crazy..." She sobbed as she tried to stop her thoughts as they chased after each other in her head.

_You're the one who lied tonight, _that voice continued relentlessly, _to him, to them and now even to yourself!_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6.

"Ohh for Heaven's sake, there is no way you're going to catch it that way!"

"Klaus!" Caroline whisked her head towards him in surprise, then hearing the hare scurring away in the dark, she growled deep in her throat and lunged herself over the hybrid.

He wasn't expecting it, and thanks to the surprise she was able to push him down on the hard ground, cluttered with dead leaves and fallen branches.

"Damn you, you made it escape!" She laid on top of him, trying her best to pin him down with her weight, but of course he was too strong for her, and in one swift twist of his body, he switched their places, bringing himself on top, and with one hand he easily grabbed both her wrists and pinned them down over her head. His hold was strong but not hard or painful. She hissed loudly at him when she found herself totally trapped. He said nothing, just stared at her, with a stunned look in his eyes, almost as if he was seeing her for the first time. And then she realised that he was!

What he was seeing was her dark, blood shot eyes and her fangs extended out on her lower lip. All fight left her body in a rush and she relaxed, letting her face phase back.

"Don't! You look... amazing!" He whispered as Caroline's familiar features looked up at him now. His thumb grazed her cheek, soft as a feather for a moment before removing his hand.

She gave one of her famous snorts, "Only you, would find something pretty in a monster's face."

"You are not a monster, Caroline."

"Compared to you, I'm not." She retorted back.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Still with the petty insults, really?"

"Still stalking me, really?"

A small smile lifted the corner of his lips and he gave a small shake of his head.

She tried once more to use her body weight to throw him over but he didn't budge a centimetre, "Get off me."

"You threw yourself at me, love, and I kind of like it here." His teeth flashed white as he smiled again. His knees were pressing on her hips leaving her completely immobilised and she knew it was futile to keep fighting him.

"You disappeared for over a week and now you pop up at the worst moment and ruin my hunt!" She had wanted to inflict anger in her tone but the words came out sounding almost sad.

His brows came up, as always he didn't miss anything. "Careful love, that almost sounded like you missed me." ..._Because I have! _

"And you call this a hunt?!" He added as he shook his head at her, and with a loud regretful sigh he released her wrists, letting his fingers graze over her arm, leaving goose bumps on her skin as he moved off her, and sat on the ground, his arms resting on his knees.

She got up on her elbows and then sat up, "If you say something about how I should be chasing some poor soul, I swear I'll..."

"That's not what I meant!...Even though..." Her angry stare stopped him, "Fine! But you're going about your **hunt** all wrong!"

There was something different about him, he acted and talked the same, but she felt like a restraint, a caution in him...and she knew it was because of her, what she had said at the Grill last week, was between them even if he seemed intentioned to pretend it never happened.

"I hate this!" She seethed, if he wasn't going to say anything, neither would she, "I should be out somewhere having fun, instead of being here, in the middle of the night, in the woods, chasing animals!" She threw a fist of dried leaves and dirt at the nearest tree, "I never asked for any of this!"

"None of us did, love."

Her eyes searched his for a long moment. She had never thought about it that way, but it was true, he and his siblings were turned without their consent too.

"I bet it didn't take you long to adapt though." Somehow she couldn't picture him struggling, with anything, ever.

A muscle in his face twitched. "Things were different then." Was his only comment. "But you, can't go about hunting this way...look at you! You're obviously weak from the need of blood...when have you last feeded?...what if it had been an enemy out here, a vampire hunter or a werewolf? You wouldn't have stood a chance...and you act as if you're doing this huge sacrifice being here!"

"It is a huge sacrifice because I hate it!". _Was that worry in his voice? _The idea that he could actually worry about her safety, after what she had said, tugged hard at the strings of her heart.

He scowled at her heavily, "And that's where you're wrong! This is who you are, a creature who needs blood to survive, and that is never going to change no matter how much you wish it was different!"

"Yes, I know, I know, I have to accept myself." She grumbled, Stefan had said that to her when he was teaching her, and she had heard him saying the same to Elena recently.

He frowned again at her, "You have to do more than just accept it, you have to **embrace** it, **be** the immortal being you are, let her out!"

She stared at his face while he talked.

He was proud of who he was, it was clear in his every action, in his words, in the total confident way he carried himself. He was proud of his immortality and what it meant. Proud that only his presence made people wary of him, even those who didn't know what he was.

"You can be strong, Caroline, you are strong, let her rule," He whispered, "Catching our preys...it's in our nature, the night? your best friend...let her free, fighting yourself is pointless, you're only making it harder for no reason."

She shook her head slowly even as something in her stirred, an excitement at who she was, she had never felt before.

"It won't turn you dark, sweetheart," He said quietly. Her eyes widened as she realised that he had hit the nail on the head of her greatest fear, "I promise."

"Why are you...helping me?...thought you were angry with me."

He lowered his face to the ground and she winced. So much, for not saying anything, she just didn't know how to keep her mouth shut.

"I can't be angry with you for telling the truth, can I?" He looked directly in her eyes, and a second later she lowered hers to her lap.

Her silence seemed to be enough of an answer to him and her vampire hearing caught the smallest sigh as he got up, dusting off the back of his trousers with the palms of his hands.

He offered his hand to help her, but released hers immediately the moment she stood up.

"I was wrong...I shouldn't have put you in that position..." She gasped in surprise. So much **not** what she was expecting! Her heart's strings tugged once more, painfully.

He took a deep breath inside. "I once told you, that if you came to me in one year or in a hundred, I would be there for you...that hasn't changed."

"Ohhh..." Her eyes widened in awe.

She felt like the world had slowed down as she stared at him, completely speechless. She had been speechless the first time he had said those words to her too. Her mind trying to grasp what it meant...the possibilities, the promises and she had ended up snorting at him to hide how they had touched something, deep inside her. It was the same now, only so much stronger, cause now she knew him better, now she knew what those words meant!

She felt her eyes fill up with tears. She hadn't been wrong about him!

This, this was the man she saw behind the cruel words and the sarcasm, behind the cold looks and the tantrums! This was the man, Rebekah obviously loved even with all the history between them! This was the man for whom regret, she sometimes saw in Stefan's eyes! And this, was the man who had been occuping her thoughts more and more. For months now. The one who looked in her eyes and seemed to reach her inside, right to her soul.

"You can have all the time you need." He said gently as he started walking away backwards, like he couldn't drag his eyes away from her. "Time is certainly something we have no lack of."

She opened her mouth but no words came out, for once she didn't know what to say and she felt one tear drop slowly down her cheek.

"Sweeheart," he shook his head slowly and turned his head up and seemed to look at the tree tops above them, "I'm trying to take the higher road here - not exactly something I'm good at - but you're not making it any easier...not if you keep looking at me like that!"

Another tear fell and she heard herself whispering his name.

"Hell..." He muttered closing his eyes for a second, before he sped back next to her, his hands gently cupping her face. He leaned down and with a groan fused his lips to hers. She gasped in surprise, opening her mouth under his and he took advantage of that to deepen the kiss. One of his hands moved into her hair while the other one drew her closer to him holding her at the waist. The kiss felt almost desperate, like he wanted to leave the imprint of his mouth, his lips, his taste on hers forever. His hand fisted in her hair as he explored her mouth hungrily and she kissed him back, her hands running up his shoulders to the nape of his neck. She pressed closer to him and felt his body shudder when his tongue touched hers. Only now she admitted, even to herself how much she had longed for this moment. More tears fell from behind her closed lids and feeling the wetness on his own cheeks, he gave a ragged breath and reluctantly broke the kiss.

"Shh, it's okay." He said, his mouth next to her ear as he kept holding her close. "This doesn't...I..." It was the first time she was hearing Klaus unsure of his own words and her hand fisted in his shirt on his back, "You still have all the time you want." His lips hovered somewhere near her forehead as he spoke and then she felt them brushing against her temple before he released her and moved away.

She watched him leave, not once looking back at her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Just one more chapter to go after this one, so as you can guess, this one is very important!**

**Hope you like it!**

Chapter 7.

"Here we go..." Caroline whispered to herself in the dark interior of her car, as she looked at the Michaelson's mansion looming in front of her. The rain had started to fall harder during the short drive here from her home.

She frowned at the heavy drops falling on her windshield "I hate the rain!"

She couldn't believe she was really here!

After three days of doing nothing but thinking, thinking and more thinking, she had grabbed her car keys and drove here. Inactivity was just driving her mad!

She had relived every moment she had ever spent with Klaus. From that first fateful night in her room when he had saved her life, through the dances, to his 'I fancy you', his drawings which she have kept even when she didn't know why, and saving her life again, the night at the movies...all of it, until that mind-blowing kiss. She had re-thought every gesture, every word, every gaze and yes...she had fallen in love with Niklaus Michaelson...with all that it entailed.

She had found the courage then to tell the whole truth to Tyler. There had been some very angry words, not that she blamed him...she had hurt him, but he wasn't surprised he said, not really, he had realised what had been happening to her even before she did!

At the Grill, Elena had said that she saw it in her eyes too, so had she been the only one blind to her own feelings or had she been too scared to admit it?

Well, she wasn't blind anymore and she had never been one to hide from the truth and honestly...she just wanted to see him!

_Time to act!_ And before she could give herself time to change her mind again, she rushed out of the car and using her vampire speed was under the patio less than a second later. A flash of lightning illuminated the sky followed by a roar of thunder, making her eyes narrow against the light.

She raised her hand to knock then stopped in mid air. She lowered her arm again and turned to look at the darkened skies and falling rain behind her, while taking very deep breaths to calm herself.

_Breaths that my body doesn't need and that aren't doing any calming!_

Fisting her hands, she went to turn to the door again and that's when she saw him! She had been so caught up in her thoughts, that she had missed seeing Klaus on the lawn, on the right hand side of the house. And he hadn't seen her either.

Almost without noticing she started walking slowly towards him, frowning slightly as she felt the cool rain drops on her face.

He was standing completely still, his arms wide open, palms up, his head looking up too, just standing there letting the rain pour down on him. His hair was plastered to his head and his clothes were drenched, clinging to his body. The white shirt he was wearing revealing strong muscles underneath it.

Her hair had started to drip water and her clothes to get heavy but she found herself mermerised by the look on his face. She had never seen such a look on his face before...calm, untroubled.

He must have felt her presence cause suddenly his eyes opened, "Caroline?"

She gave a small gasp at suddenly finding his intense gaze on her. Rivulets of water was coming down his face and she just stared at the drops of water clinging to his eyelashes, making his eyes sparkle.

"What are you doing?" She asked softly.

He looked at her for a long moment, "I love the rain, always have, since I was a little boy."

She found herself smiling, as an image of a small boy with dimples, and golden curly hair laughing in the rain came vividly to her mind.

"And it's an element that hasn't changed for us."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well, the sun is our worst enemy," he replied, "the cold, we don't really feel it anymore...but the rain," he held his hand out and more drops fell on his already wet hand, "rain feels just the same, cool...and wet." he smiled, "Do you like it?"

She shook her head, "No, not really, I hate what it does to my hair."

"You're as beautiful as ever." He whispered quietly, then a shadow passed in his eyes before asking, "...Why are you here, Caroline?".

"I..." Another clap of thunder echoed around them, this time the sound farther away and she knew the storm would soon pass. She stared at his face as she thought of all she wanted to tell him, so many things... "I'll never be okay with you killing humans to feed...I just can't..."

She shook her head making rain drops fly around her face. _Oh my God! That's so not how I meant to start! _

He pushed his wet hair away from his face, his brows coming together. _Oh what if after all this time, all this thinking, he's the one to reject me now? What if he laughs at me?_

She felt like she was on the top of a cliff and she had to jump...even if he didn't catch her, she had to try. "But there's a a thing, a t-thing called...

compromise, and if you're willing to...try..." _This was coming out so wrong!_

He cocked his head sideways, "And it would go something like...me, still drinking from humans but not killing them?"

She nodded slowly, her lips parting in surprise. "Have you...thought about it too?"

"I have thought of many ways, that would help me have you in my life...and keep you there."

A sob escaped through her lips. "Really?!...Thank you."

A stunned look appeared in his eyes and her hand stretched forward, searching for his.

"Not just for this," She smiled as her eyes filled with tears, "Thank you for...for having been so incredibly patient with me and...generous, even when I know I didn't deserve it at all...I saw sides of you that I never thought..." She stopped to take a ragged breath, "your thoughtfulness, kindness...you gave me time, you...that meant a lot to me...you...you mean a lot to me." There, she had said it!

The rain was almost like a curtain around them, thick sheets of water falling down and making different sounds as it hit different objects on its way to the ground but they both were oblivious to it all as they stared in each other's eyes. His gaze held something in it she had never seen before and his voice sounded hesitant when he spoke, "Caroline," he stopped and seemed to be searching for words, "you know, that the Klaus you've always known is real too."

Her eyes widened and he stared deep into them, "I'm vengeful and ruthless...and if I'm thwarted, I can bring hell down on..."

"Why are you telling me this now?" She interrupted him with a small voice.

"Because I told you, there," with his head he pointed to the house, "that night, that when this happened..." he brought their hands up between them, showing her their fingers entwined, "it was gonna be real, **for real**, you and I, with no misconceptions about who we are!"

She sighed as her free hand touched his cheek gently, "I **know** who you are, Niklaus. When I said that I saw new sides of you, that didn't mean that I suddenly didn't see the others anymore, or that I believed they had just disappeared."

His chest heaved up as he released a troubled breath out. "I just want you to be sure, very sure, because there will be no turning back from this!" His hand held hers even tighter in his grip.

His grave voice, the dark look in his eyes, maybe should have scared her, but instead she felt like smiling. Because even now, when what he wanted was so close to be his, he was putting her, first! HER!

"I am sure...look, I know, this isn't going to be easy...for so many different reasons, She smiled wryly, "...hell, there's even the chance that we'll end up trying to kill each other over something stupid in the next few days..." She chuckled and bit her lower lip.

He shook his head at her returning the smile, "No...I think you'll have me round your little finger in no time."

She pouted her lips, "I very highly doubt that."

"I'm half way there already." He sighed as his hand went slowly to her hair, drawing back the wet tresses away from her face and his eyes lingered on every feature. His fingers touched her brows, her cheek bones, his thumb moving over her lips...

"You're really here?!" He whispered almost inaudibly.

"Yes..." Her breath was coming out in short gasps. "Think you're gonna kiss me anytime soon?"

A full smile appeared on his face, his dimples deep in his cheeks, "My ever impatient, Caroline," he whispered, drawing her closer to him, "we have all the time in the world, love, all the time in the world."

She sighed as finally her body came in contact with his, wet clothes and all, "Didn't we take it all, just to get here?"

He chuckled and rubbed his nose to hers. Then still smiling, very slowly, inched his face closer to hers, slowly, slowly until their breaths mingled...and their lips brushed softly, cool and wet against each other's, once, twice...and again. She made a little sound in her throat and his smile tilted higher. Then finally, he captured her lips with his and deepened the kiss as her hands went to his neck, her fingers playing with his wet hair.

He seemed to want to prove just how true his words were, cause he took his time savoring every brush, every touch, every stroke of lips and tongues. His lips roamed over hers, sucking, tasting. He passed his hand through her wet golden tresses while the other traced down to the delicate curve at the small of her back and stayed there, pressing her even more closer to him, so that not even the rain, that was now nothing more than a drizzle now, could pass between their bodies.

He nibbled at her lower lip with his teeth making her sigh in his mouth and she felt like the bones in her body were melting inside her. Never had she been kissed so thoroughly and so sensually. His lips seemed to...cherish her, like kissing her was a special gift he had been granted.

His mouth left hers to trail hot kisses on her cheek while licking at the drops of water on her face till it reached her neck, right under her ear. He sighed softly, and his arms went both to her waist and he picked her up, her feet leaving the ground as he held her tightly.

"You've made me so...happy..." He whispered, the last word coming out uncertain, like a foreign word he never used or didn't know the meaning of. Her eyes widened at his words and her arms wound hard at his neck holding him just as tightly back, her cheek pressed to his as she felt the tears spilling from her eyes. She knew how hard it was for him to admit something like that...to show vulnerability, and it made her feel even more lucky to be in his arms.

"I'm so happy too." She answered back, sliding back down so she could look in his eyes, which were sparkling bright, back at her.

"Shall we go inside?" He took her hand at her nod, both laughing as they both squished noisily while running the short distance to the mansion.


	8. Chapter 8

**Here it is, the last chapter! **

**I would like to thank all the readers who reviewed, favorited and followed my story!**

**For the first fanfic I ever felt good enough about, to publish, it was a huge boost I totally needed!**

**So Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.**

Chapter 8.

He closed the door behind him and still holding her hand, walked towards the living area where a fire was crackling in the fireplace. The light was dimmed leaving the room in shadows.

"We're dripping water everywhere!" She exclaimed as she saw the drops and splashes on the floor boards behind them.

He left her hand, making her miss his touch immediately, "I'll get us something to dry with."

He was gone and returned in a blink of an eye, holding two white thick towels in his hand and gave one to her. "Come nearer the fire."

She walked in slowly, "So, do you do this often, getting soaked in the rain?"

He chuckled, "It's kind of soothing, helps me think."

"What were you thinking about?" She couldn't help ask, remembering the look on his face.

He cocked his head sideways, "Three guesses..."

A full smile bloomed on her lips and she bit on her lip, her insides doing somersaults at his words.

He smiled back, brought the towel to his head and dried his hair briskly, in few strong movements, then grabbed the wet shirt clinging to him and took it off. Her eyes widened as she stared at his upper body, the healthy taut muscles rippling under the damp skin glistening in the fire light.

He caught her staring and his lips tilted up at the sides, "I'll go put something on..." _Don't bother on my account! _she thought."And get you something too."

"I don't want any of Rebekah's clothes." But she was talking to thin air even though she was sure he heard her.

He came back less than a minute later, clad in a dark t-shirt with a V at the neck and dark pants. He held in his hand a sweat pants and a t shirt.

She raised her brows at him.

"All my trousers are too big for you!" He defended himself, "...but the shirt is mine ... so ...compromise?" He finished with a devilish smile on his lips as he handed them to her.

She smiled and shook her head slightly, knowingly, "Compromise." She agreed, taking the clothes, "Where's the bathroom please?"

"Last door on the left." He answered, his gaze following her as she walked in the direction he showed her.

She closed the door behind her and leaned against it with a sigh. What had she been so afraid of, being here with him felt as natural as breathing!

She pressed the shirt to her face and inhaled deeply. Her nostrils caught a whiff of his cologne and...his scent, him.

Taking off her wet clothes, she put on Rebekah's pants which fitted her well and Klaus's black shirt, which came down to her mid thighs with the shoulders down on her upper arms. She then dried her hair with the towel and finger combed it as best she could. She grimaced at her attire but a smile never left her face, she didn't think she'd ever hate the rain again!

His head turned from where he was sitting on the sofa nearer to the fire, when he heard her approach, a small smile on his face.

She pouted her lips, "Not exactly glamorous..." pointing at her clothes.

"You'd look gorgeous even if you were wearing a sack...come here." He opened his arm welcoming her to go to him, which she did, sitting as close to him as possible. She put her legs up underneath her and put her chin on his shoulder, looking at him. He kissed her cheek softly, then nuzzled her hair.

"Your hair smells awesome." He said, taking another breath in.

"Yeah, I just got it washed."

He chuckled deep in his chest, making his dimples appear. She loved to hear and watch him laugh. She promised herself, she would make it happen, often. His fingers started drawing imaginary circles on her thigh over the pants, making her shiver. She laid her head on his shoulder and stared at the fire for a long moment, but of course Caroline broke the silence first.

"Why did you keep disappearing on me?" She asked, "Like at the movies...or in the forest..."

He sighed quietly, "One more second with you on that sidewalk and I would have kissed you senseless...and you wouldn't have liked it."

Her head popped up at his words and she looked at him with her brows up on her forehead.

He smiled at her face, "Not the kiss...that's an experience we both would have enjoyed, but you, would have gone all indignant on me and..."

"And kicked your ass." She finished for him. She knew he was probably right.

"Tried to." He corrected her smugly, making her roll her eyes at him. "You weren't ready...I knew you weren't indifferent to me, I could feel it, but I could also feel your mistrust. I also knew that you had your mind made up about me, and that it would take a lot, for you to change it...and get to trust me even a little...as for the woods..." he continued while he took a strand of her damp hair between his fingers, "I wouldn't have kissed you then either but...but I had wanted for so long to see you look at me, the way you did that night...I couldn't stop myself if my life had depended on it." He admitted putting the strand behind her ear.

She sighed as she looked at him, knowing she had wanted it too, just as much.

"Yes...just like that..." He leaned his head sideways and caught her lips with his. He kissed her passionately, her mouth opening under his. The tenderness mingled with passion as their mouths explored each others. His hand moved from behind her ear in her hair, while hers trailed up his chest to caress his cheek.

"I love you, Klaus." She whispered against his mouth.

He went completely still, his hard breaths fanning her cheek the only sound. She closed her eyes, wondering if once again she should have thought before speaking. But she had felt it so strongly, the words had almost come out on their own,

He inched his head away from hers, then gently raised her chin with two fingers, until he could look directly in her eyes. His blue eyes held a wondrous look in them, like he hadn't believed his ears. He seemed about to say something then he let out a ragged breath.

"Tyler?" he asked.

"We broke up." She answered quietly.

"When?!"

"Two days ago." She replied, watching his face lit up. She frowned slightly, as a pang of disappointment welled in her stomach. _Just because you blurted out you loved him, doesn't mean he have to say it back! _

"What is it?" He asked seeing her frown, "I'm sure you didn't expect me to say 'I'm sorry'?!"

"No, of course..."

"Good! Because every time I think of you and him together, all I want to do, is tear him limb from limb!"

She raised alarmed eyes to him, and he rolled his eyes, "Which, of course, I won't do." He seemed to still notice something in her eyes, "unless you tell me that he hurt you?...or mistreated you?"

"No, no." She shook her head at him, and lowered her eyes, "He seemed to be aware of my feelings for you even more than I was."

"Then what is it?"

"We were friends before we were...now I don't think...the others too…"

"So this isn't just about him, is it?" He asked her, "This is about all the rest of the gang, and what their reaction will be to…us"

"Us." She smiled softly, "I like the sound of that."

"Me too." He replied, with a soft smile of his own, "Talk to me, Caroline."

She knew what he was asking her. "It's okay."

"No, it's not, don't lie." He grazed her cheek with his fingers and her eyes filled up with tears.

His jaw hardened as he saw them, and she went in his arms, hiding her face in his neck. "I…I won't pretend that it won't hurt if they...if they decide to...cut me out," she said her voice muffled in his throat, "but this is my life, my decision, and if they can't accept it..."

"I'll make them!" He growled. She raised her head and looked at him with a sad smile, wiping her tears away. She kissed his cheek to let him know that she knew, he didn't mean it literally. He just wasn't used to feeling helpless.

"I won't let anyone hurt you, in any way!"

"If they love me, then they will want me happy, if not...it's their problem."

He studied her eyes intently, trying to read in them. "Sweetheart, I know what they mean to you."

"I'm sorry about what happened at the Grill, I shouldn't have lied!" She admitted as fresh tears formed in her eyes.

"It's all right."

"No, it's not!" she echoed his words of just moments before, "That week you stayed away...I was sure you had...given up on me."

"Never!"

"You were **so** angry! You pretended well not to be, but I could feel it coming off you..."

"I was angry at myself."

She cocked her head and looked at him knowingly, and he smiled wryly, "I was angry at you too, the first few hours, but that's just my bad character."

"No, you had every right! I kept giving you this mixed signals!" She replied firmly.

"No, I was wrong! After throwing and breaking a few things, I calmed down and...and realised that I shouldn't have pushed you in that corner...I wanted you to come to me on your own...in your own time."

"I'm here now," She told him, her voice strong, "Sure of my decision, **here** is where I want to be, you, **us**, is what I want."

His eyes shone with happiness in hers, then he frowned, "But I hate to see you hurt."

She took his face in her hands, and kissed him hard. "As much as it hurts if I should lose them, it would hurt so, so much more not to be here, to lose you!"

Again he seemed to go dead still. The frown still marred his brow and he seemed to struggle with himself to find the words.

When finally he spoke, his voice was deep, his accent strong, his eyes sparkling with emotion. "In a thousand years, no one has ever chose me over...put me before..."

Tears ran down her cheeks and she kissed him again. "That's why you wanted your hybrids so desperately?..being sired by you, they would always..."

She didn't finish the sentence but they both knew she was right.

"Have you any idea how much this...how much..." He crushed her to him and kissed her hungrily, desperately, "Caroline, I..."

"It's okay." She told him gently, her mouth a breath away from his, "You don't have to say anything...you're right, we do have all the time in the world, you don't need to..."

"Wait! Wait, you think...I'm not sure..that I don't..." He cupped her cheeks in his palms, wiping the tears away with his thumbs, "Sweetheart, I've known for a long time..." She watched as his beautiful eyes filled up with tears. He took a deep breath in, "I haven't said any words of...love, in centuries, I don't know how to say...how to express...I think...I lost the words, cause I don't know how to tell you just what you mean to me, that I love you more, than I thought myself capable of loving anyone or anything..." He shook his head and she laughed softly,

"You just did, babe, you just did...and I love you too, so much."

She leaned closer to his face, kissing his mouth while giggling happily. He returned her kiss wholeheartedly. His hands went down her shoulders and back until they rested on her hips. Never breaking the kiss, he slid her on the sofa until she was laying on her back and then he moved over her. The kisses turned urgent, hot, their hands roaming everywhere until she felt every nerve in her undead body come alive, from the roots of her hair to her toes.

For long minutes all that could be heard in the room were the sound of their kisses and the occasional crack from the fire eating the logs.

All of a sudden he straightened his elbows so that he was looking down at her, her hair splayed around her head in disarray.

"Do you love me more than Mr Darcy?"

"What?!" She asked, her eyes glazed with desire and her lips rose red from all his kisses.

"Have you any idea, at the amount of sighs you let out, while watching that movie?!" He shook his head, "He's lucky he isn't real or I would have had to..."

"You can't be jealous of a fictional character!" She smiled up at him.

"I can be jealous of whomever I please!" He retorted back "And you haven't answered my question!"

She sighed and got up on her elbows, "In that case," she said while disentangling her body from his and standing up, "I think it's better if we take this discussion upstairs and I can...show you, how much more than Darcy I do love you."

He raised his eye brows, his gaze burning on her.

"I'll race you to your room!" She tried to dash past him, but he caught her by the wrist and pulled her back to him.

"You don't even know which one is my room." He chuckled, his head lowering to nuzzle her neck.

"Riiiight. I don't."

Something in her voice made him look up in her eyes. "Car-o-line?" He dragged her name slowly while looking curiously at her.

She smiled mischieviously, "Let's just say, that...you're not the only stalker in the room!"

His eyes held such a stunned look, like she'd never thought she'd ever see on his face, that she wiggled out of his grasp and vampire sped up the stairs, her laughter echoing behind her. His shirt she was wearing, hit him in the face a second later, as he sped behind her, his laughter joining hers.

"… _**So fill these lonely arms of mine  
And kiss me tenderly  
Then you'll be forever young  
And beautiful to me."**_

The End


	9. Epilogue

**JaneA0202 convinced me the story needed an epilogue, to answer some questions about Caroline and her friends. So here it is!**

**Hope it didn't turn out too cheesy!**

Epilogue

6 years later

"Ouch! I banged my knee!"

"Shh! Be quiet! It's very late!" Elena's voice whispered in the dark.

Bonnie rolled her eyes, "Well forgive me, if my eyes aren't as good as yours in the dark!"

"Then wouldn't it better if you switched on the lights?" A second later the large kitchen was brightly lit, and both girls turned to look at Caroline who stood in the doorway, her hand still on the electric switch.

"Caught in the act." Elena bit on her lip while Bonnie widened her lips into a smile.

A small frown appeared on the blond's forehead. "Of doing what?"

"Looking for some more of that delicious cake you served us as dessert tonight." Elena admitted while a giggle escaped from Bonnie's lips.

Caroline couldn't help smiling back. "That would be in the refrigerator."

"Join us?" Bonnie asked, even if neither girls moved towards the fridge.

"What do you think?" Caroline replied, "It's definitely better than the glass of water I came down for...forks are in there, and plates in there," She pointed her finger first to a drawer then to a cupboard while she moved to the refrigerator and took out the large chocolate gelato cake, that was already missing almost half of it.

The three girls moved to the island in the middle of the kitchen, sat on the stools around it while Caroline cut big pieces and put them on the plates.

After digging in the first bite, Bonnie looked at her friend, "Your house is beautiful, Care."

"House?" Elena repeated with a snort, "This is a palace!"

"Yeah, it's quite big." Caroline admitted, "Klaus has a way of overdoing things sometimes...but when he showed me this place...I had already fallen in love with Florence, I wanted to live here, so why not in a palace, he said?!" She beamed at them.

"Hmm...and all dinner was superlative, but this..." Bonnie closed her eyes as she put another piece of cake in her mouth.

"I still can't believe you're here!" Caroline exclaimed for what had to be the fiftieth time that night, smiling from one girl to the other and shaking her head, "When I opened the door, and you stood there in front of me, I literally couldn't believe my eyes!"

"Yeah, you were so funny, flailing your arms and hands at us," Elena laughed, "with your mouth wide open!"

"And I still can't believe how Nik succeeded in keeping this a secret from me!" She shook her head again and sighed, her face radiant.

"You look so...**happy**, Caroline." Elena sighed at her old friend.

"Because I am," the blond vampire answered with a small frown at the emphasis in Elena's voice, "but you know that...we skype often enough, I tell you..."

"I know! It's just...seeing the two of you together..." Elena's brown eyes widened in her face.

Caroline dropped the fork on her plate, "Is what? Still impossible for you to believe that he makes me happy?...after all these years you had to see with your own eyes to believe it...that we're happy together?!"

"NO! No I didn't mean it that way!"

"Do you lie when you tell me how happy you are with Stefan?!" Caroline raised her eyebrows at Elena.

"Of course not!"

"But of course! this is Klaus so..."

"Okay, both of you calm down." The witch took hold of one of each of their arms and chanted something under her voice.

Caroline looked at her as she felt a deep calm settling in her bones. "You're good." She said. Elena nodded in agreement and sighed slowly.

"Caroline, you don't need to be so defensive, Elena didn't mean anything bad by what she said."

The blond gave a small reluctant nod with her head.

"But you have to cut us some slack...this **is** Klaus, ok?" Bonnie gave a little smile, "We haven't spent the last six years with him, like you have...when he contacted us last month, and invited us over here for Christmas, as a surprise to you..." She widened her arms as if words failed her.

"We couldn't believe how much he's changed." Elena continued softly.

"He hasn't...he was this Klaus back then too, only..."

"Only he never showed himself around us?!" The sound of doubt in Bonnie's voice was very obvious.

"His love for you has changed him." Elena looked directly in Caroline's eyes. "It's what I meant to say, you look so completely and totally in love with each other...it's, it's beautiful to see..."

Caroline bit on her lower lip, "Thank you...I'm sorry I reacted that way...I guess for a second it felt like we were back in Mystic Falls...before we left, when all I did was defend him, us, to you all."

"It's okay." Elena shook her head at her with a smile. "I'm sorry too if I sounded...doubtful...I didn't mean to, I **know** how much you love him, and I **know **he loves you too...and I'm so happy he did this for you...for us!"

Caroline took out her hands in front of her on the island, and they both held one with their own, all three smiling widely. Like always, like time had never passed, a few words were enough to make everything all right between them. "I missed you so, girls."

"So that's what's taking you so long...girls talk, I thought you had gone lost looking for the kitchen...this place is huge." Stefan came in the room, a wry smile on his lips.

Caroline rolled her eyes, "Yes, yes, it's quite big...do you want some cake too, Stefan?"

"Yes please, someone was supposed to bring me back a piece." He answered while looking with a fake frown at Elena.

She leaned over from her place to kiss him on the cheek, "Sorry, hon." Then cut him a big piece of cake and handed it to him.

"Forgiven." He replied with a smile as he took a big mouthful. "So what were you talking about?"

The three girls smiled at each other, then Caroline spoke. "That tomorrow morning, I'll give you a tour of this place...then we'll take you out to visit Florence...Elijah showed us this old castle last time he was here...deep in the country...too beautiful for words, you'll see!"

"Do they visit often, his family?" Stefan asked as he kept munching happily.

"They were all here for thanksgiving, even if they don't celebrate it here, we had this wonderful dinner...it was ...enjoyable."

Three pair of curious eyes looked at her without saying anything.

"Ooookay...there was some tension at first, cause we haven't seen Kol for a couple of years," she admitted, "he was always ending up in trouble, he still is, and then bringing it to his brother to solve it for him...then two years ago in Russia, his trouble, was a pack of very angry werewolves and...and I ended up being bitten..."

"Oh my God, Caroline!" Bonnie's words echoed loudly in the silent palace while Elena brought her hand to her mouth to smother a gasp.

"Klaus healed me immediately of course, but..." She shook her head remembering, "Klaus threw one of his famous rages, I thought he was going to kill Kol himself!"

"I can imagine!" Stefan commented quietly.

"But this year, I invited him again, it's his brother after all," Suddenly she smiled mischieviously, "Nik made him acquit himself by taking me and Rebakah to a three day shopping spree in Milan, he hated every second of it!" She finished giggling.

Everyone laughed at the idea of what Kol went through in those three days.

"May I interrupt?" Klaus voice sounded behind her and she turned in her stool to smile at him.

"Of course!" She held her hand out to him, "Come have some cake with us."

"If you're sure?" His eyes were asking the question to the other three, as he moved behind Caroline and hugged her to him, her back to his chest. Then in her ear he whispered, "I missed you in bed."

She smiled at him, loving the familiar shiver tingling her spine, at his touch.

"Yes, please do join us." Bonnie invited him quietly. "I still haven't thanked you for that permission you were able to get me to go to that old german convent last year, the books I found there were...astounding!"

"Glad to be of help." He answered with a small smile, while Caroline fed him a piece from her cake.

Stefan asked Bonnie more about the convent, and Caroline watched as the men got into the discussion with the black haired girl, interested in the books she found there, and the knowledge it brought her. She sighed against Klaus, holding the arm that was still encircling her waist, tighter to her. She looked at her friends faces, one by one, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Hey, are you okay?" Elena asked her, noticing the tears.

She nodded a few times, "Yeah, I'm just so happy you're here!"

"We are too." Her friend answered with a smile.

"I love you so much, guys...Happy Christmas." She smiled tearfully at her friends, then looking up, kissed Klaus on the mouth, "And you, I love the most, my wonderful, handsome, incredible man...thank you for the best Christmas present ever!"

"You're welcome, my love." He kissed her deeply, making her forget her friends were watching.

"I think that's our cue to leave these two alone." Stefan's voice was followed by the two girls' agreeing and the three left the kitchen whispering quietly.

"I mean it, Nik," She said when finally they broke apart, "I'll never forget what you did for me, not if I live to be a million."

"You know I'd do anything for you, love, anything." His eyes shone brightly in hers, the love she saw there, as always leaving her breathless.

Fresh tears appeared in her eyes and she hugged him tightly to her, repeating how much she loved him.

"I just wish I had been a fly on that computer screen when the conversation with Elena and Bonnie happened!" She admitted with a smile.

"What conversation?!" He snorted, "There was this long akward silence, where they just glared at me...I thought their volume was muted!"

She laughed as she hugged him again. "But then you convinced them."

"I didn't have to," He said while softly moving her hair away from her face, "I just told them, that we were happy,

enjoying all the world had to offer together, but that you missed them, and having them here would make it, the

perfect Christmas for you."

She pressed her lips tightly to his, tears sliding down her cheeks, trying to convey in the kiss all her gratitude and all her love!

She felt him pick her up from the stool, and carry her out from the kitchen.

He didn't take the stairs but kept walking further in, towards the glass doors that took to the gardens. "Where are we going?" She asked.

"It's raining." He replied softly, a smile on his face and an invitation in his eyes.

She giggled. "Then by all means, let's go enjoy it."

Laughing under their breaths, he opened the garden door and let them out in the soaking rain.

The End.

**I need to give a big big Thank you to the Guest who reviewed this fanfic on the 31st Dec 2012 since I can't answer her back privately! **  
**Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! You have paid me some of the most beautiful compliments I have heard in my whole life! You are SOOOOO sweet! Seriously! You made my year! lol!  
**


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